Michigan Golf Journal August 2021

33 August 2021 www.michigangolfjournal.com Michigan Hires NewAssistant Coach The University of Michigan women’s golf head coach Jan Dowling announced the hiring of former LPGA Tour professional and Tennessee collegiate golfer  A.J. Newell  as the new assistant coach for the Wolverines program. “We are absolutely thrilled to welcome A.J. to our Michigan women’s golf family,” Dowling said. “Obviously, her playing background speaks for itself. However, what really stood out to me was that for two solid decades she has been a keen student of the game. Her wealth of knowledge is impressive. She is so eager to share with our team and raise our program to new levels.” Newell made eight starts on the LPGA Tour in 2018 and played 35 events on the Symetra Tour (2016-20) before a back injury and subsequent surgery forced her retirement in 2020. She made 13 cuts on the Symetra Tour, highlighted by a tie for fourth at the 2017 Fuccillo Kia Classic of New York. When Newell was a sophomore at the University of Tennessee during the 2012-13 season Dowling was her assistant coach. The following season, Dowling left to take over the Michigan program. MGJ Western Golf and Country Clubs Jason Iding Named 2020 GAMClub Representative of the Year Jason Iding was 11-years- old when he started his golf career as a caddie at Western Golf & Country Club, and at age 47 he is still serving those who play the 95-year-old club’s classic Donald Ross-designed course. Iding, the Western G&CC general manager who has served in several roles at the club over the last 36 years and most recently led the three-year recovery effort from a devastating clubhouse fire, has been named the Golf Association of Michigan Club Services Representative of the Year. The GAM annually presents the honor to a club representative who demonstrates outstanding service to golf in Michigan. Iding is a rarity as a caddie who worked his way to caddie master, then through the Detroit College of Business (now part of Davenport University), then the PGA’s internship program to assistant golf professional status, then head golf professional and on to the general manager role all at the same club. He called the award unexpected, genuinely appreciated and humbling. MGJ